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At Wickelkinder, babywearing is a matter close to our heart. In order to help parents become familiar with the numerous medical and psychological benefits of babywearing (please see also list of benefits at the end of this article), it not only takes good carrying devices but also experts from various professions. In Germany, there are primarily the babywearing consultants and midwives whom we are supporting with special purchase conditions or with information booths at their congresses and conferences.

Babywearing without frontiers

However, the interest in babywearing is not limited to Germany – this is why manduca is active at international babywearing events, too. This year, manduca and Wickelkinder are going to participate in three selected European events: the First Flemish Babywearing Conference in Antwerpen, the 2nd European Babywearing Conference in Bristol, and the TrageTage of the Trageschule Österreich/Schweiz (babywearing school in Austria/Switzerland) taking place in Vienna, an event which is well-known throughout Europe, and for the first time is organized in cooperation with other babywearing schools.

This year, manduca is present at three international babywearing events.

Dedicated: the first Flemish Babywearing Conference

For the active babywearing scene in Belgium, the time has come to set up their own event. Initiated by the Flemish Babywearing Association, the First Flemish Babywearing Conference from April 24 – 25 in Antwerpen features fundamental babywearing issues. What are the effects of babywearing on a child and on its further development? What is the most natural way to carry your child? In which ways is your child’s development stimulated the most? It is because of these interesting questions that we are setting up a booth at the conference exhibition. Additionally, we are supporting this event as a Gold Sponsor. That way, and together with other manufacturers, we enable the Flemish Babywearing Association to offer an interesting conference program, and we further promote the babywearing movement in the Netherlands and Belgium.

The presentations and workshops around babywearing address all professions working with babies and small children: from pediatricians, midwives, and nurses, to babywearing consultants. Among thehighlights of this international event are lectures from renowned speakers such as Dr. Evelyn Kirklionis (who has scientifically proven the positive effect of wearing babies in an upright position) and Arie Brentnall-Compton (a public speaker & consultant with a passion for improving public health through babywearing) as well as workshops on particular subjects like babywearing of babies with hip dysplasia. And a male midwife is present in Antwerpen, too: Tom van den Broeck will talk about the importance of skin contact for a human baby.
Tickets are available for single days or for the whole conference – online registration is possible.

On the road for manduca: Dunja

Our colleague Dunja has built up a reputation for her comprehensive babywearing knowledge during many conferences in Germany and Austria. This year, she will answer questions on babywearing issues also internationally – as a certified babywearing consultant and mother of four, she has enough good advice up her sleeve. Thanks to her language skills she can give this advice not only in German and English, but also (soon) in Dutch. Veel plezier op de conferentie! – dear Dunja! We look forward to what you will be telling us about this first babywearing conference in Belgium.

Babywearing benefits

If you want to inform your friends about the positive effects of babywearing – here is a short overview:

Carrying…
• … eases a newborn’s transition into this world because it can still feel the proximity and heartbeat it has gotten used to.
• … helps strengthen the bond between parent and child.
• … nurtures the child’s basic trust in the world, and thus his or her confidence.
• … allows babies to actively experience this world: babies that are carried see the world as they will later when they’re able to walk. At the same time, the movement fosters the child’s sense of balance and body perception – all the while feeling completely secure. If the baby has received enough stimulation and input, she or he can easily withdraw and huddle up against their caregiver.